starter strips ?

[Ronnd]

Do the starter strips need to run the full length of the top bar I planed on useing paint sticks and there about 4 in short

[Brian D. Bray]

It is best to run the starter strips from end bar to end bar as a gap will be carried over into the comb being drawn and result in a delay of the fcomb being attached to the end bars of the cmob, if ever,  Sometime they'll go back and tidy it up, but usually not until the 2nd year.

[suprstakr]

I use waxed popsicle sticks , and leave the gap even on both ends not the center . Make sure you brad nail the paint sticks to secure them . I learned the hard way .
Of course your cutting the widh down of the paint stirers ?





Waxed--- melt wax dip stick in ..

[Ronnd]

I was not going to cut the width down is 1 in wide to much and I was going to leave them bare wood is waxing needed

[ArmucheeBee]

suprstakr

Are you saying you used the wax to hold the strip in the bar??   or you just coated it with wax to make it attractive?  other threads have talked about gluing the strips in--that seems to work.  i have also read here, that coating with wax might lead to the combing falling off because the melted on wax does not adhere as well as what the bees do.  I am starting these for the first time myself. 

[suprstakr]

Coat with wax to give them direction of building comb . I use 1 brad per stick to keep them in place.

[Michael Bush]

I prefer not to wax them.  The wax you put on won't be attached as well as the bees will attach it.  Also, it's not necessary and I'm lazy.  :)

[Ronnd]

Thanks everyone for the info

[Michael Bush]

Just to clarify, the wood guides are necessary, just the wax on them is not.

[Shawn]

So, because im not getting what a "starter strip" looks like other than a popcicle stick can someone expalin? If I'm thinking right the popcicle stick is pointing down towards the bottom of the hive attached in the middle of the frame? Does every frame have to have them? Actually Ill post if anyone has a picture in the photo section "Whatit should look like." Sorry if the questions seem dumb but Im ordering a new hive and I want it all to be foundationless, body and supers.

[Michael Bush]

The strip, whether wood or wax, runs horizontally the length of the top bar.  The simplest is to break out the wedge and turn it sideways and nail it back in.  You can also put popscicle sticks in the groove, etc.

[JP]

So, because im not getting what a "starter strip" looks like other than a popcicle stick can someone expalin? If I'm thinking right the popcicle stick is pointing down towards the bottom of the hive attached in the middle of the frame? Does every frame have to have them? Actually Ill post if anyone has a picture in the photo section "Whatit should look like." Sorry if the questions seem dumb but Im ordering a new hive and I want it all to be foundationless, body and supers.

I make starter strips from plasticell and brad them in like this


...JP

[Shawn]

Thanks, I think I got it know :shock:. I need to get the hive ordered soon because my new bees, which will be my third one, will be here the end of April.

[PeskySquirrel]

If putting starter strip frames between existing frames of "pulled out" comb (to rotate old comb out or ease congestion--per Micheal Bush's suggestion), do the "pulled out" frames need to be capped brood (or honey) to prevent the bees from simply pulling out the existing frames further (before beginning work on the starter strips)? Or does it not really matter? Thanks.

[Robo]

It matters a lot.   Either put them on the brood area or between capped honey.   Even in the brood area you will sometimes still get them overdrawing the top of the drawn frames where they store honey.   Put them between empty comb in a super and you'll end up with a real mess.

[Kathyp]

i second what robo said.  i made that mistake once!  never again.  also, with the package you  may want to put a full sheet or two in your 1st super as a guide.  i dumped a swarm in with just starter strips last year and they made a mess of things. 

[Scadsobees]

It matters a lot.   Either put them on the brood area or between capped honey.   Even in the brood area you will sometimes still get them overdrawing the top of the drawn frames where they store honey.   Put them between empty comb in a super and you'll end up with a real mess.

I've tried that too...I have never seen such thick honeycomb before  :-D

[Paraplegic Racehorse]

being both short of drawn comb (full frames) and wanting to be a little lazy about my starter strips (don't want to melt and then form the wax sheets), this year's plan is to sacrifice several full frames of drawn comb in order to get about one inch of fully formed "starter strip" to line several frames and/or top-bars. It should be pretty easy to melt-and-attach. The bees will hopefully complete the attachment process before they build it too heavy. (fingers crossed)

Has anyone used this method with good results? How about lousy results?

[Michael Bush]

>Has anyone used this method with good results? How about lousy results?

It was a common method back in L.L. Langstroths day.  Huber's hive has holes for pegs to hold it up until it was attached.  You might find this section about doing queens by turning it sideways useful for your purposes:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbetterqueens.htm#Preparing%20the%20Cells

[Bee Happy]

along these lines - if you do a wax (suggestion) strip - will the bees convert to the smallest cell as they go?
- no idea what (cell) size suggestion sheet I put up for them but just wondering if they will default to their preferred size after